Homeland Security, Associate in Applied Science
Port Angeles, USA
Associate of Applied Science
DURATION
6 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 12,450 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus
* including housing and additional fees, international students can expect to pay around $19,575 per year
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
The Homeland Security Emergency Management (HSEM) associate degree program is designed to prepare the next generation of emergency management and policy leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to improve outcomes in disasters of all types. This online degree program includes instruction in policy as well as planning and operational components of emergency management and homeland security, including opportunities to gain practical experience and work with current incident management technologies. The curriculum provides policy foundations and advances students through core competencies in hazard identification; risk and vulnerability assessment; planning; terrorism; mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery; and planning for diverse populations. This degree will prepare students with the competencies to work in an all-hazards preparedness environment, including an understanding of socioeconomic and cultural diversity issues. Students are required to have access to a computer, the internet, and a browser. This degree can be completed online.
Prospective Homeland Security and Emergency Management students should be aware that Homeland Security and Emergency Management employment candidates are subject to extensive background checks.
Special Features
On-the-job training is critical to giving students the insight and information they need to succeed once their education is complete. The Homeland Security Emergency Management program includes five credits of work-based experience for students completing the associate’s degree option. This work-based training provides opportunities to directly connect with potential employers. Graduates of this program can continue their academic studies at Peninsula College in a Bachelor of Applied Management degree (BAS).
Goals
- The program encourages students to question, search for answers and meaning, and develop ideas that lead to action.
- The program provides to date curriculum that adapts to the rapidly changing field of Homeland Security Emergency Management.
- The Peninsula College Homeland Security Emergency Management program is significantly more cost-effective than most private and public schools.
When this program is completed, the student will be able to:
- Apply effective interpersonal communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills commensurate with a defined level of responsibility
- Develop agency/organization-specific tools to evaluate specific domestic security challenges for the 21st century that face the United States and other industrialized nations
- Design and modify plans and programs at federal, state, and/or local levels to reflect the evolving strategic policy issues associated with a statutory and presidential direction for homeland security
- Interpret ethical and legal issues that impact emergency management and homeland security
- Recognize how to access and disseminate information through multiple agencies in order to forecast the risks, types, and orders of magnitude of terrorist threats most likely to confront the nation/state
- Define the interdisciplinary nature of Homeland Security/Emergency Management functions and be able to assess and integrate various functional areas
- Develop policies, procedures, and protocols to allow seamless agency integration from prevention to incident response scenarios
- Apply a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to assume leadership roles in emergency management, homeland security, and/or public policy
- Participate in employer-directed training for performance enhancement and career advancement
Sample Schedule
This Sample Schedule is provided as a guide for a full-time student starting in the fall quarter whose goal is to earn an Associate in Applied Science (AAS). The typical student schedule is based on entering the program during the fall quarter, however, some programs allow students to enter in the winter or spring as well. Since not all do, please confirm with an advisor whether this program must be started during a specific quarter or not.
First Quarter (Fall)
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Introduction to Emergency Management
- Basic Incident Command System/ National Management System
- All Hazards Emergency Planning
Second Quarter (Winter)
- Introduction to Physical Geography
- Technology in Emergency Management
- Public Administration
- Introduction to Statistics
Third Quarter (Spring)
- Public Speaking
- English Composition I
- Public Information
- Emergency Response Awareness to Terrorism
Fourth Quarter (Fall)
- Criminal Law
- Introduction to Cybersecurity and Cybercrime
- Tribal Emergency Management
- Emergency Operations Center
- Homeland Security Law and Policy
Fifth Quarter (Winter)
- Survey of Environmental Science
- Exercise Design and Evaluation
- Developing and Managing Volunteer Resources
- Disaster Response and Recovery
- General Psychology
Sixth Quarter (Spring)
- Composition II
- Work-based Learning Experience
- Intro Political Science
The Federal Department of Labor identifies homeland security as a “high-demand field,” one that requires a large number of trained professionals across a number of industry sectors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 22% increase in emergency management specialist positions by 2014. Graduates may find positions with a variety of organizations in the public and private sectors.